Androgenic alopecia, the common form of hair loss is a highly heritable disorder of considerable social significance affecting around 40% of adult men and women. A variety of genetic and environmental factors are likely to play a role in androgenetic alopecia. Genetic variants in the human androgen receptor gene (AR) have been reported to be associated with AGA in Caucasians. Other genes involved with hair loss also have been found. One of them being a gene on chromosome 3 (3q26). A recent genome-wide association study in 296 individuals with male-pattern baldness and 347 controls had carried out and five SNPs on chromosome 20p11 were found to be highly significant association for AGA (rs2180439 combined P = 2.7 x 10(-15)). No interaction was detected with the X-chromosomal androgen receptor locus, suggesting that the 20p11 locus has a role in a yet-to-be-identified androgen-independent pathway.

The total number of evaluated patients with androgenic alopecia will be at least 300. All patients will be further grouped as good responders or poor responders to conventional medications, such as topical minoxidil and systemic finasteride. Candidate genes potentially involved in gout and its treatment response will be selected from the published literatures; specifically, two resources of candidate genes will be selected: (i) genes which are known to directly link with androgenic alopecia, and (ii) genes are potentially implicated in particular pathways of androgen/estrogen receptors, metabolism and downstream signals, and genes involved in anti-oxidants or hair growth. The SNP genotyping will be performed by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry. Data analysis will be performed by comparing SNPs allele frequency between good responder and poor responder to conventional medications of patients with androgenic alopecia and further comparing to the allele frequency of SNPs in healthy controls. A functional study will also be done to prove the genetic association.

Further study details as provided by Taipei Medical University WanFang Hospital:

Biospecimen Retention: Samples With DNA

DNA extraction from blood sample

Estimated Enrollment:

400

Study Start Date:

October 2010

Estimated Study Completion Date:

July 2011

Primary Completion Date:

October 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

20 Years to 80 Years

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Sampling Method:

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss)

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Willing to sign inform consent form

Willing to received history taking by telephone or interview

Diagnosed androgenetic alopecia by Hamilton-Norwood classification

More than 20 year-old, both sex

Exclusion Criteria:

Ever had trauma over alopecia area

Cancer, infection, or other systemic disease that might interfere diagnosis

Unconfirmed diagnosis clinically or pathologically.

Contacts and Locations

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For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01227031